He'll help you see the stars in whole new light

Sunday

Nov 19, 2017 at 10:00 AMNov 19, 2017 at 10:00 AM

By Bill Poteat bpoteat@gastongazette.com

Will Snyder, the new director of the James H. Lynn Planetarium at the Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, is filled with energy, ideas, and excitement about his new position and how the planetarium can better connect with the local community.

"When people come here I want it to be about more than what they learn that particular day," Snyder said. "I want them to be entertained and excited, so much so that they'll want to go out and learn more. I want to instill curiosity in other people. I want to get them excited."

Snyder, 24, comes to Gastonia after a two-year stint as director of the Ingram Planetarium at Sunset Beach on the coast of North Carolina. So what lures a young man from the beach to Gaston County?

"I loved (Sunset Beach) and it is certainly a beautiful place," Snyder replied. "But it's an hour to the nearest Target. I like the opportunities that Gaston County has to offer, and I like being so close to Charlotte. I'm already settled in here in Gastonia."

More than the appeal of living in a metro area, however, what brought Snyder to Gastonia was the potential he saw for the Lynn Planetarium.

"This planetarium has great room to grow," he said. "With all the upgrades we had in 2016, this is one of the best facilities in the state, if not the entire region. The opportunity is here to make it a great attraction in its own right."

The planetarium underwent a $650,000 renovation in 2016 which saw the installation of new SciDome XD fulldome technology which utilizes two high-definition projectors from both the front and rear of the facility. The sound system was upgraded and the seating area expanded to include 157 new seats.

A native of Apollo in western Pennsylvania, Snyder holds a bachelor of science degree from Clarion University with a major in physics, concentrating in astrophysics.

Snyder said his goal is to make as many programs as possible live and interactive with a focus on audience participation.

"My job is to keep coming up with new ideas that will attract people to the planetarium," he said. "I want to be working with people as much as possible and behind my desk as little as possible."

Snyder also noted that outer space continues to hold a fascination for many people, even if they sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the new information constantly being obtained about the changing nature of the universe.

"I want to tap into that," Snyder concluded. "I want to make sure we have the right programs here and I want to later establish telescope programs where amateurs can bring in their scopes and set up, either on the roof or on the nature trail, and give people a firsthand look through a scope at the planets or the moon."

More information about the James H. Lynn Planetarium, including program titles, program times, and admission prices, may be obtained by calling 704-866-6908.

Bill Poteat may be reached at 704-869-1855.

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